Straw-binding harvester.



C. E. ROBERTS.

STEAW BINDING HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

1,050,296. Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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C. E. ROBERTS.

STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 29. 1912.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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CULUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Ccr, wAsHlNaToN. D. c.

G. E. ROBERTS.

. STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912. 1,050,296. Patented Jan. 14,1913.

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` C. E. ROBERTS.

` STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

1,050,296, Patented Jan.14,1913.

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STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 29, 1912.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913 8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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o. E'. ROBERTS.

`STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912. 1,050,296, Patented Jan. 14,1913.

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c. E. ROBERTS. STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

1,050,296, l Patented Jan. 14,1913.

C. E. ROBERTS.

STRAW BINDING HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

1,050,296. Patented e12m14.191s..

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CHARLES E. ROBERTS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOS, ASSGNOR TO THE BROWN STEAW BINDER COMPANY, 0F INEJIANAPOLS, NDINA., A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

STRAW-BINDING HARVESTER.

Apphcation filed January 29, 1912.

To all whomt may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Straw-Binding Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a mechanism, primarily designed for use in conjunction with a harvester, by means of which bundles of harvested grain stalks may be formed by a rope of straw butts produced and secured by the operative mechanism upon segregated successive quantities of such harvested grain stalks.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete bundle-forming apparatus with adjacent portions of the frame of a harvester, and with the parts in positions occupied immediately prior to the completion of formation of a bundle F ig. 2 a fragmentary perspective of t-he rope-forming mechanism; Fig. 3 a fragmentary elevation of the twister head and picker finger; Fig. 4 a side elevation, in partial vertical section of the parts in receiving position; Fig. 5 a side elevation with the parts in the positions immediately preceding the rotation of the bundle; Fig. 6 an elevation similar to Fig. 5 but of the opposite side; Fig. 7 a fragmentary elevation, on a larger scale, showing the positions of some of the parts of the bundle-rotating head immediately preceding the positions shown in Fig. 5; Fig. S a fragmentary vertical section showing the means for arresting the rotation movement of the bundle-rotating rings; Fig. 9 a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 5; Fig. 10 a fragmentary detail of the stop arm release; Fig. 11 a diagram of the gears for reciprocating the bundle-clamping segment; Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 diagrams of successive positions of the mechanism for controlling the movement of the bundle-clamping segment; Fig. 16 a fragmentary elevation of the automatic release forming part of the operating means for the bundle clamping segment; Fig. 17 a detail of a gear-locking bolt; Fig. 1S a section on line 18-18 of Fig. 17; Fig. 19 a plan of the pusher cam; Fig. 2O a sectional detail of the pusher; Fig. 21 a detail of the twister head; and Fig. 22 a detailed sectional view of the tucker finger on line 22-22 of Fig. 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

Serial No. 674,089.

The normal, or receiving position of the parts is shown in Fig. 4 and the grain stalks are delivered in the usual manner by gravity, assisted by common feeder' fingers 30, down an inclined deck, (indicated by the dotted line 31) into a half-ring 32 provided with internal teeth 33 to aiford a suflicient bite into the mass of stalks. The half-ring 32 is movably seated in a semi-annular track or stationary cradle 34 substantially as shown in Patent 997,552, issued July 11, 1911. Coperating with, and supplementing, the cradle 34 is a swinging clamping segment or track 35 carried by rock-shaft 36 to which is attached a segment 37. Mating half-ring 32 is another half-ring 32 provided with teeth 33. Each of the half-rings 32 is provided with teeth or pockets 33 for the reception of a pawl 39 carried by a reciprocating bar 41 mounted in a segmental track 42 in cradle 34 whereby the half-rings, when brought together, may be given stepby-step rotative advancement through cradle 34 and segment 35. Bar 41 is constantly reciprocated by link 43, reciprocating head 44 and a cam 45 carried by the constantly rotating main drive shaft 46. Pawl 39 may be rendered ineffective at desired times by means of a shoe 47 normally retracted by a spring 43 but intermittently projectable to the position shown in Fig. 8, by means of a pin 49 carried by a rotating star-wheel 51 and acting on a cam-shoulder 52 of the slice. The shaft 53 of star-wheel 51 is provided with a finger 54 adapted, through one step of the star-wheel to act Vupon a lever 55 which hangs normally by gravity in the position indicated in Fig. 6. Shaft 53 also carries a finger 56 engageable by a finger 57 so as to be advanced one step of the star wheel when the iinger 57 is driven downwardly by its slide 58 when engaged by segment 35 in its movement to bundle-clamping position. Slide 5S is normally held in the position shown inFig. 7 by a spring 59 and it carries a finger 61 to retract a spring latch arranged to retain the guard 63 when the parts are in stalk-receiving position.

Star wheel 51 is pro-vided (in the present instance) with thirteen points which are cperated upon by pins 64 carried by the halfrings 32 to advance the wheel twelve steps upon one and one-half rotations of the ring. The thirteenth step of wheel 51 is produced by means of finger 56, as already described.

A ratchet wheel 71, ournaled on a pin 72, is fixed to a disk 73 carrying a segment 7 3 adapted to successively engage two intermeshed gears 71 and 75 which are su'liiciently mutilated, as indicated at 76, Fig. 1, to permit the segment to first engage and operate gear 74 and then, passing out ot' engagement with that gear, to engage and operate gear 75. Gear 75 .is meshed with segment 87 and consequently the successive operation of the two gears 74: and 75 produces oscillation ot segment 37 and segmental track 85. Ratchet wheel 71 is rotatively advanced by means ot a reciprocating arm 77 actuated by a cam 780 on shaft 40, said cam engaging rollers 79 on the arm. The arm 77 carries a pair of oppositely arranged spring pawls 81, 81 which serve, whenever permitted, to drive the wheel 71 forwardly upon both strokes ot the arm 77.

In order to arrest the forward movement ot wheel 71 when segment 73 lies between the two gears 7st and 75, I provide a cam arm 78 which is journaled on pin 72 and when in the normal position indicated in Figs. Lit and 12, lies beneath pins 81 ot pawls 81 so as to render them inactive. The cam arm 78 carries a radially projectable bolt 82 urged outwardly by a spring 83 and this bolt is provided with a block 8st which normally lies in the path ot movement ot a pin 85 carried by disk 73 so as to block further forward movement ot wheel 71 and segment 73 when the segment lies between the two gears 7-lf and 75. lln order to retract block 8l the bolt 82 is provided at its outer end with a pin which lies in a slot 87 formed in an arm 88 journaled on a rock shaft 89 upon which gear 75 is freely journaled. One end ot shaft 80 carries an arm 91 provided at its outer end with a cradle 92 into which the harvested stalks are discharged. The oppositr` end of shaft 80, which carries the arm 88, also carries a radially sliding latch 023 normally urged to the position shown in Lfull lines in Fig. 1G by a spring 91- so as to engage a pin 95 on arm 88 and thus lock arm 88 and shaft 80 together. lllhen bolt is driven inwardly b v the operation ot cradle 91 and block 81 withdrawn trom in front ot' pin 85, a spring 00 (Fig. 1) draws arm 78 to the lett (Fig. 1l) so as to withdraw said arm from under the pawls 81 and draw pin 86 along slot 87 into engagement with the tip 03 ot catch 93 and drive it to the position indicated in dotted lines Fig. 10. whereupon spring 83 drives bolt 82 outwardly (Fig. 15) and brings block 811 again into the path ot' movement ot pin 85. In the meantime, pawls 81 have been advancing ratchet wheel 71 and its lirst action brings segment. 78 into mesh with gear 75 and swings segment 85 to the position shown in F ig.

Just prior to the upward movement of segment 85,l the `flow of straw down deck 31 is stopped' by arms 100 one ot which carries a finger 108 which is normally engaged and held down by a finger 102 on segment 35. Upward movement ot arms 100 is produced by counterweight 101 and, as 78 is moved back by spring 00, an extension 78 on arm 78 pulls on a link 101 which in turn swings a bell crank leverl 162 (Fig. 10) which operates upon the adjacent arm 100 to spring it sidewise to withdraw nger 10C-l trom beneath finger 102 and thus permit weight 101 to swing arms 100 upward through deck 31 in advance ot the upward movement of segment Then segment is brought to the posi tic-n shown in Fig. 5, it operates, through finger 57, in the manner already described, to advance star wheel 51 one step to cause pin 51 to release lever 55, whereupon this lever drops away trom a pin 105 carried by the spring catch 100 so that the spring 107 thereoi2 may torce the catch down into position to receive and retain a pin 108 carried by a slotted arm 109 pivoted upon the shaft 110 to which the catch holder 111 (in which catch 100 is mounted) is secured. Extended into the slot of arm 109, so as to reciprocate the arm, is a pin 112 carried by the bar ll1 so that arm 109 is continuously reciprocated.

1When the apparatus has been fully described it will become apparent that several ot the parts, which are continuously driven, might. be intermittently driven but, by providing automatic disconnections I have provided a less complicated mechanism than would be otherwise required.

its soon as wheel 51 is advanced by the operation ot linger 50, shoe 117 is withdrawn trom the path ot pawl 39 and it operates on the halt-rings 82 to rotate them in the c l dle 34. and segn'ient 35 so as to rotate the bundle of stalks clamped therein. At the same time the oscillation ot shatt 110 reciprocates a picker linger 118 (through any suitable connections. such as the slotted arm 114.- and pin 115, Fig. 3) so as to project said fingers into the bundle and extract the butt ends ot a few stalks S (Fig. 2) therefrom. These withdrawn butt ends are drawn down upon the circumference ot a rotating twister head 116 which is hollow and provided with a rope-forming snout 117. rlhe straws are drawn into the interior ot the twister head through a helical slot 118 and b v it twisted together with subsequently introduced straws so that a rop-e, consisting only ot the butt ends ot straws, the head ends ot which remain in place in the bundle, is tornud around the bundle as the bundle is rotated. Head 11G is driven in any suitable manner as, for instance, gears 1.19, 120, shaft 121, pinion 122 (Fig. 21), pinion 123, shaft 121 (Fig. 5), sprocket wheel 125, chain 126, and sprocket wheel 127 on shaft 46 (Fig. 6). The twister head is allowed to rotate continuously (in order to avoid complication of mechanism) but stoppage of the picker-finger prevents any improper extraction of straws from the bundle, the lower st-raws of t-he bundle resting on the guard plates`128 and 129 (Figs. 1 and 2). These two plates support the straws of the bundle while the straws for the band are extracted.

For the formation of the binding rope the bundle is rotated one and one-half times and the final end is tucked under the initial portion somewhat in the manner shown in Fig. 3 of Patent 7 80,392 issued January 17, 1905. In making this rotation of the bundle it is advisable to shift the initial portion of the rope toward the butt of the bundle so that the iinal end will overlie the head ends of the straws which form the initial portion. For that purpose 1 mount in each half ring 32 a pusher head 131 (Fig. 20) the shank 132 of which is slidable through the half ring along a line parallel with the axis of the bundle. Shank 132 is provided with a pin 133 which is caused to traverse the stationary cam 134 as the half ring is moved through cradle 34. Then the rotation of the bundle is nearly completed pin 54 throws lever 55 so as to withdraw catch 106 from pin 108, thus stopping the picker finger, and then pin 49 engages shoe 47 and projects it into the path of pawl 39 so as to stop the bundle. Continued forward movement of wheel 71 brings a nger 141 into engagement with a linger 142 carried by a plunger 143 which is provided with a rack 145 engaging a segment 144 on the shaft of a tucker inger 146 which is thereby projected upwardly (as shown in Fig. 1) to tuck va bight of the final end of the binding rope between the bundle and an initial portion of the rope. Finger 146 is returned to normal position by means of spring 143. Further movement of wheel 71 brings segment 73 into mesh with gear 74; the segment 35 is thrown back to the position shown in Fig. 4. At the same time an arm 151, carried by the shaft of gear 74, engages a cam 152 on an ejector arm 153 and causes the ejection of the completed bundle from the machine, guards 63 swinging upwardly as the bundle is ejected and then dropping with sufficient force to drop in behind catch 62. As segment 35 swings back finger 102 engages finger 103 and moves the stop arms 100 downward so that the iiow of straw may resume.

The quantity of grain stalks for any bundle should of course be considerably compressed between the two half-rings 32 and segment 35 therefore should be locked in the position shown in Fig. 6. For this purpose gear 7 5 is provided with a locking cam 75 (Fig. 11) which coacts with a segmental ange 73 (Figs. 9 and 11) in a common manner.

The twister head 116 has its main body of considerable diameter and practically tangential to the bundle (when it is clamped) so that when the butt ends of the straws are drawn down by the picker finger the eX- treme ends are swung away from the head (while an intermediate portion is iirst drawn down into the slot) and the eXtreme butt ends are thus prevented from wrapping about the exterior of the twister head and its shaft while being drawn into its interior.

As segment 35 is returned to normal position, pin S5 engages block 84 and drives arm 7 8 to its initial position where it prevents action of pawls 81 upon ratchet wheel 71 and as the completed bundle is ejected a spring 171 (Fig. 9) returns the arm 91 and cradle 92 to normal position, and the latch 93 rengages with pin 95.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a coperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the Acradle. track, means for advancing the half-rings in the tracks when in coperative relation, and means operated by the movement of said half-rings to discontinue advancement thereof.

2. 1n a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from coperative relation with the cradle track, means for advancing the half-rings in the tracks when in coperative relation, and means controlled by the movement of the segment track to coperative relation with the cradle-track to connect the advancing means to said half-rings.

3. 1n a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from coperative relation with t-he cradle track, means for advancing the half-rings in the tracks when in cooperative relation, means operated by the movement et said haltrings to discontinue advancement thereof, and means controlled by the movement of the segment track to cooperative relation with the cradle-track to connect the advancing means to said halt-ring.

4t. ln a binder, the combination ot a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying halt-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged tor successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradlo track, a reciprocating pawl engagable with said halt-rings to advance the saine in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same inetliective, a star wheel operated upon by the haltaings and operating pon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segnient track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment ot coperative relation oit the two tracks produces engagement ot said two engageable niembers to advance the star-wheel and establish cotipeative relationship between the l;alt-rings and the pawl, pins cirried by the halt-rings to advance the star-wheel to canse projection of the shoe to disestablish cooperation between the halt-rings and pawl, a picker projeetable into the bundle to extract straw ends therefrom, a twister head receiving said straw ends from the picker, a rockssha'tt, connections between the rock-shaft and picker.` a reciprocating driver iter said rock-shaft, a detachable connection between the said driver and rockshatt, and means controlled. by the star wheel for controlling said detachable connection.

ln a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two inuidle-carrying halt-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged tor successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with `said halt-rings to advance the same in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same inetllective, a star wheel operated upon by the halt-rings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment ot cooperative relation oit the two tracks produces engagement ot said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish cooperative relationship between the haltrings and the pawl, pins carried by the half-rings to advance the star wheel to cause projection ot the shoe to disestablish cooperation between the halt-rings and pawl, a picker projectable into the bundle to extract straw ends therefrom, and a twister head receiving said straw ends trom the picker.

G. ln a binder, the combination ot a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying halt-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged tor successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said halt-rings to advance the saine in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the saine ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by the halt-rings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment ot cooperative relation ot the two tracks produces engagement et said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish cooperative relationship between the halt-rings and the pawl, pins carried by the halt-rings to advance the star wheel to cause projection of the shoe to disestablish cooperation between the halt-rings and pawl, a rock-shaft, connections between the rock-shaft and picker, a reciprocating driver Jfor said i'oclrsliatt, a detachable connection between the said driver and rock-shatt, and means controlled by the star wheel for controlling said detachable connection.

7. lnabindenthe combination et a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two benfile-carrying halt-rings adapted to trav erse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a Jforwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away troni cooperative relation with the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said halt-rings to advance the same in the track, a slice projectable relative to said pawl to render the same ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by the halt-rings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment ot cooperative relation ot the two tracks produces engagement et said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish cooperative relationship between the haltrings and the pawl, a picker projectable'into the bundle to extract straw ends therefrom, a twister head receiving said straw ends from the picker, a rock-shaft, connections between the rock-shaft and picker, a reciprocating driver for said rock-shaft, a detachable connection between the said driver and rockshaft, and means controlled by the star wheel for controlling said detachable connection.

8. In a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a coperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said half-rings to advance the same in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by the half-rings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establish, ment of cooperative relation of the two tracks produces engagement of said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish cooperative relationship between the half-rings and the pawl, a rockshaft, connections between the rock-shaft and picker, a reciprocating driver for said rock-shaft, a detachable connection between the said driver and rock-shaft, and means controlled by the star wheel for controlling said detachable connection.

9. In a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative rotation with the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said half-rings to advance the same in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by the half-rings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment of cooperative relation of the two tracks produces engagement of said two .engageable members to advance the starwheel and establish cooperative relationship between the half-'rings and the pawl, a picker projectable into the bundle to extract straw ends therefrom, and a twister head receiving said straw ends from the picker.

l0. In a binder, the vcombination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rmgs adapted to Vtraverse said two tracks when in coperaaway from cooperative relation wit-h the cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said half-rings to advance the same in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by t-he halfrngs and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment of coperative relation of t-he two tracks produces engagement of said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish cooperative relationship between the halfrings and the pawl, and pins carried by the half-rings to advance the star wheel to cause projection of the shoe to disestablish cooperation between the half-rings and pawl.

1l. In a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw ends from the picker and twist the same into a rope around the bundle, a pusher carried by each halfring and arranged to push the initial end of the rope axially of the bundle so as to be overlapped by the final end of the rope, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of the rope and tuck a bight thereof between the initial end of the .ro-pe and the bundle, and means driven by the rotary driver for actuating said tucker.

12. In a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a coperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, Said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative rrelation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw ends from the picker and twist the same into a rope around vthe bundle, a

soY

pusher arranged to push the initial end of the rope zially of the bundle so as to be overlapped by the final end of the rope, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the filial end of the rope and tuck a bight thereof between the initial end of the rope and the bundle, and means driven by the rotary driver for actuating said tucker.

i3. ln a binder, the combination of a eradle track, a cooperatii g segment track, two btnidle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperativ'e position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears on eratively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw ends from the picl'er and twist the same into a rope around the bundle, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of `the rope and tuck a bight there of between the initial end of the rege and the bundle, and means driven by the rotary driver for actuating said tucker.

la. ln a binder, the combination of a cran dle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and awayvr from co operative relation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw-ends from the picker and twist the same into a rope around the bundle, a pusher carried by each half-ring and arranged to push the initial end of the rope axially of the bundle so as to be overlapped by the final end of the rope, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of the rope and tuck a bight thereof between the initial end of the rope and the bundle, and means for actuating said tucker.

l5. in a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from co operative relation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw ends from the picker and twist the same into a rope around the bundle, a pusher arranged to push the initial end of the rope axially of the bundle so as to be overlapped tetonas by the final end of the rope, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of the rope and tuck a bight thereof between the initial end of the rope and the bundle, and means for actuating said tucker.

1G. In a binder, the combination of a cra dle track, a cooperating seement track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in cooperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding` gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the cradle track, a picker arranged to extract straw ends from the bundle, a twister arranged to receive the straw ends from the picker and twist the same into a rope around the bundle, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of the rope and tuck a bightthereof between the initial end of the rope and the bundle, and means for actuating said tucker.

17. ln a binder, the combination of a cradle track, a cooperating segment track, two bundle-carrying half-rings adapted to traverse said two tracks when in coperative position, a rotary driver, a forwarding` gear and a reversing gear arranged for successive operation by the driver, said two gears operatively connected with the segment track to alternately swing it to and away from cooperative relation with the .cradle track, a reciprocating pawl engageable with said half-rings to advance the saine in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to said pawl to render the same ineffective, a star wheel operated upon by the halfrings and operating upon the shoe, two engageable members, one carried by the segment track and the other carried by the star-wheel whereby establishment of cooperative relation of the two tracks producee engagement of said two engageable members to advance the star-wheel and establish coperative relationship between the half-rings and the pawl, pins carried by the half-rings to advance the star-wheel to cause projection of the shoe to disestablish cooperation between the half-rings and pawl, a picker proj ectable into the bundle to extract straw ends therefrom, a twister head receiving said straw ends from the picker, a rock-shaft, connect-ions between the rockshaft and picker, a reciprocating driver for said rock-shaft, a detachable connection between the said driver and rock-shaft, means controlled by the star wheel for controlling said detachable connection, a pusher car ried by one of the half-rings and arranged to push the initial end of the rope axially of the bundle so as to be overlapped by the final end of the rope, a tucker movable axially of the bundle to engage the final end of the rope and tuck a bight thereof between the initial end of the rope and the bundle, an actuator for said tucker, and a member carried by the rotary driver for driving said actuator.

1S. In a binder, the combination of a cradle-track, a segment track movable into and out of cooperative relation with the cradle-track, a pair of bundle-carrying hali rings adapted to traverse said tracks when in cooperative relation, a driver for said half-rings, and means controlled by the movement of the segmenttrack to closed position to 4connect said driver to the halfrings.

19. In a binder, the combination of a cradle-track, a segment track movable into and out of coperative relation wit-h the cradle-track, a pair of bundle-carrying halfrings adapted to traverse said tracks when in cooperative relation, a reciprocating pawl for advancing said half rings in the tracks, a shoe projectable relative to the pawl to control its action on the half-rings, means controlled by the forward movement of the half-rings for projecting the shoe to render the pawl inactive, and means controlled by the movement of the segment track to closed position to project the shoe to render the pawl active.

20. in a binder, the combination of a cradle-track, a segment track movable into and out of cooperative relation with t-he cradle-track, a pair of bundle-carrying halfrings adapted to traverse said tracks when in cooperative relation, a reciprocating pawl for advancing said half-rings in the tracks, a shoe proj ectable relative to the pawl to control its action on the half-rings, a star wheel operating upon the shoe to control its position relative to the pawl, members carried by the half-rings for engaging and advancing the star-wheel to project the shoe to render the pawl inactive, and a member carried by t-he segment track to advance the star wheel to project the shoe to render the pawl active.

21. In a straw binder, t-he combination of a pair of bundle-carrying half-rings, means for rotating the same with a bundle, a picker, a twister head, means for pushing the initial end of the straw-rope axially of the bundle during fo-rmation of the final end of the rope whereby the final end of the rope is overlaid upon the initial end, a tucker, and means for driving the tucker axially of the bundle to carry a bight of the final end of the rope between the initial end and the bundle.

22. In a straw binder, the combination of a pair of bundle-carrying half-rings, means for rotating the same with a bundle, a picker, a twister head, a pusher carried by one of the half-rings, means for driving said pusher axially of the bundle to push the initial end of the straw-rope axially of the bundle during formation of the final end of the rope whereby the iinal end of the rope is overlaid upon the initial end, a swinging tucker with an end swinging in a plane substantially in the axial plane of the bundle, and means for swinging said tucker to drive a bight of the rope between the initial end and the bundle. ln witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Chicago, illinois, this 11th day of January, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twelve.

CHARLES E. ROBERTS. [n s] Witnesses PEARL Amiens, ESTHER ABRAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

